We have to call in the bomb squad.
Karen Smith, CSMM
Chemistry Stockroom Manager
Whitman College
345 Boyer Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
509 527-5272
On Sep 20, 2010, at 4:45 PM, Andrew Stice wrote:
> So, if your waste hauler won't accept bottles with greater than 10ppm,
> then what do you do with those bottles that are over 10ppm?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On
> Behalf Of
> Karen Smith
> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2010 6:18 PM
> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
> Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Peroxide Question
>
> Our waste handler won't accept bottles over 10ppm peroxide, therefore
> that's my limit.
>
> Karen Smith, CSMM
> Chemical Hygiene Officer/ Lab Coordiantor
> Whitman College
> 345 Boyer Ave.
> Walla Walla, WA 99362
> 509 527-5272
>
>
>
>
> On Sep 20, 2010, at 12:10 PM, Johnson, Amy Carr wrote:
>
>> Here is a link to the article from which the excerpt below was taken
>> regarding safe levels of peroxides
> http://www.bnl.gov/esh/cms/PDF/peroxides.pdf
>>
>>
>>
>> "Kelly (7) reviewed the literature to determine the minimum
>> hazardous concentration of peroxides in solution
>> with organic solvents. Peroxide concentration of 100 ppm has been
>> widely used as a control point, but lacks
>> scientific justification and is probably based on the practical
>> detection limit of the potassium iodide method. Kelly
>> reported great disparity (range 50-10,000 ppm as hydrogen peroxide)
>> between various references. There was little
>> agreement between authors and none provided supporting data. The
>> highest level (10,000 ppm) was found in a
>> National Safety Council publication (16). However, the NSC
>> publication included no supporting references for the
>> latter statement or the NSC recommendation for administrative
>> control value of 100 ppm.
>> The Material Safety Data Sheet for diethyl ether cautions against
>> concentrating ether containing peroxide level
>> above 100 ppm (10). Presumably, instability and hazard increase with
>> concentration such that at some point, the
>> solution spontaneously explodes. Kelly suggested that it is likely
>> that the control concentration of 100ppm, in some
>> cases may be overly conservative by at least an order of magnitude.
>> This may apply to the chemicals listed in Table
>> 1-B unless the unstable materials are concentrated as result of
>> solvent evaporation (7).
>> Kelly (7) stated that "theoretically, explosion should be impossible
>> for most solutions of <1% peroxides."
>> However, to rationally establish a safe/hazard concentration is
>> complicated by a number of factors. For example,
>> some of the liquid may remain on the threads and cap when
>> peroxidized liquids are dispensed from glass containers
>> with screw-caps or with ground-glass stoppers. As the solvent
>> evaporates, the peroxide can be concentrated to
>> dangerous levels within in the threads of the cap. Thus, a volatile
>> solvent containing relatively low peroxide
>> contamination could explode because of peroxide concentration at the
>> cap (3, 7). Dilute solutions of most
>> peroxidizable chemicals or solutions in solvents with low volatility
>> (B.P. > 300 o C or V.P. <0.1 mm Hg at 20 o C)
>> usually do not pose a peroxide hazard and are not likely to
>> concentrate. Thus, it is usually unnecessary to treat such
>> solutions as peroxide hazards (3, 5).
>> Some of the peroxidation products of the chemicals in Group A (Table
>> 1) are less structurally stabile than those
>> in Group B. Thus even peroxide concentrations of less than 100 ppm
>> should be considered very hazardous.
>> Unstabilized isopropyl ether can readily form highly unstable
>> peroxides. Even low small concentrations produced
>> through solvent evaporation are very dangerous and may explode on
>> shaking (33). The temperature and
>> concentration at which explosion of peroxides of isopropyl ether
>> becomes probable has never been authoritatively
>> stated (20)."
>>
>> Hope this helps-
>> From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On
>> Behalf Of Bill Galdenzi
>> Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 9:17 AM
>> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
>> Subject: [DCHAS-L] Peroxide Question
>>
>> All,
>>
>> I have a question: What concentration of peroxide do you folks use
>> for your "acceptable" level? What is the basis for this level?
>>
>> Thanks for your help.
>>
>> Bill Galdenzi
>> Environmental, Health, and Safety
>> Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharamceuticals
>> (203) 778-7759
>> bill.galdenzi**At_Symbol_Here**boehringer-ingelheim.com
>>

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